If you had any plans of applying for a visa to visit the United States, you should double-check your social media identity because this is now a requirement for you to get the pass. The latest amendments to the immigrant and non immigrant visa forms require nearly everyone applying for a visa to enter the US to provide their social media accounts for vetting.
The U.S. State Department says it has updated the forms to require applicants to also give in five years’ worth of social media user names, telephone numbers, email addresses, international travel and deportation status.
The social media platforms in question include Facebook, Flickr, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter and YouTube, and applicants will also be asked about their activity on these and for how long they have used them.
There is an option of saying you have no social media accounts but, the applicants have been warned that lying about social media use would have “serious immigration consequences”.
Read About: A list of all the visa free countries for Ugandans
Who is affected by the new rules?
The new rules were first proposed in March 2018 and are likely to affect close to 15 million people, including those applying to immigrate to the U.S., as well as those hoping to study, do business, work or just visit. Only applicants for diplomatic and official visas could be exempt from the new rules.
Find Out: How to apply for a Ugandan VISA online
The US State Department says that, “National security is our top priority when adjudicating visa applications, and every prospective traveler and immigrant to the United States undergoes extensive security screening.”
Recently, President Trump’s administration proposed a ban on the practice of granting work permits to H-4 visa holders, especially spouses of H-1B visa holders. The US allows immediate family members of H visa holders (H-1A, H-1B, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B, or H-3) to get H-4 visas to lawfully come and stay in the US.
These visas are usually issued at the local US consulate office abroad. However, if the person is already in US, he or she can obtain H-4 status by filing Form I-539 for change of status
